After 12 years of study, an ambitious citizen science effort has recorded population figures for 34 different types of algae and invertebrates at 70 different monitoring sites. Sixty percent of the 4,000 participants have been high schoolers. Their work, scientists say, is a legitimate contribution to marine science.

Since 2010 the California King Tides Initiative has been documenting king tide events through photography—presenting a very real picture of rising sea levels. This year, the project has expanded to include a citizen science program, that will help researchers ground climate models.

The Bay Area Mycological Society is dedicated to increasing knowledge of and appreciation for the wonderful world of mushrooms. We teach the safe and mindful collection of mushrooms through field trips, lectures and classes, references, and an online pool of local experts. We encourage the celebration of the beauty and wonder of mushrooms through photography and illustration, poetry and prose. We foster participation in "citizen science," where amateurs can contribute in meaningful ways to the advance of mushroom knowledge, and our members range from beginners to professionals in the field.

A project out of UC Berkeley recruits citizen scientists to help track the spread of sudden oak death. They do it every spring, and the more people take part, the better the chance we can protect precious oaks from a deadly pathogen.

For the third year in a row, San Francisco State University Professor Gretchen LeBuhn is helping thousands of people pitch in on a major research effort to count bees all across the country. This year, they are gearing up for the Great Bee Count. It's not till July, but now's a good time to get seeds in the ground so you'll be ready!